Missing Lancaster student found in Halton after search

A pile of clothes and a mobile phone found next to the River Lune prompted a search for a student reported missing in the early hours of Thursday.

The 20-year-old from Lancaster was last seen leaving the Sugar House in Lancaster at 1.30am.

At 5am on Thursday, Holyhead Coastguard asked the Morecambe RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew to assist local coastguard teams, the Fire and Rescue Service and police in searching for the missing 20 year old student after items of property, including his mobile phone were found abandoned by the riverside near Carlisle Bridge.

Launching, in darkness, onto the River Lune from Snatchems, the lifeboat crew proceeded to search both banks of the river from Skerton and down toward Glasson Dock; utilising a thermal imager provided by the Fire Service.

Meanwhile, Coastguard, Fire and Rescue Service teams and police officers, with the police helicopter in support, searched from the shore.

However, they were unable to locate the missing person and at 7.30am the volunteer lifeboat crew were stood down and returned to station.

The missing man was later reported to be found, unharmed, at 8.15am; sitting on a bench by the riverside, near Halton.

Morecambe RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Kevin Jackson, said: “Conditions were difficult as it was dark and because of the increased volume of fresh water and debris in the river, due to the recent heavy rain fall.

“The tide was receding and so our search efforts were concentrated downstream. We are just glad that the young man was found safe and well.”